Bristol Community College lockdown lifted after authorities determine report of armed intruder was unfounded

Tuesday

Feb 11, 2014 at 10:38 AMFeb 11, 2014 at 8:50 PM

Bristol Community College's Fall River campus was briefly put on lockdown Tuesday morning over what police are calling an "erroneous" report of an armed intruder.

Marc Munroe Dion Herald News Staff Reporter

FALL RIVER — An "erroneous report" of an armed intruder prompted Bristol Community College to lock down its Fall River campus for a half-hour on Tuesday morning.

Campus and Fall River police officers investigated a report that an individual, armed with a weapon, entered the campus' G Building around 10:15 a.m.

Director of Student Engagement Kathy Burns, whose office is in G Building, said she received a phone call alert reporting the supposed intruder at about 10:30 a.m.

"We were evacuated and the Fall River Police Department came in and searched," Burns said.

"I was so proud of the way everyone went outside," Burns said. "It was very orderly."

Burns said the all clear was sounded at 10:53 a.m.

Vice President of College Communications Sally Chapman Cameron said the initial report of an intruder with a gun was made to the Fall River Police Department. Cameron could not provide a description of the alleged intruder, nor could she say what kind of gun he was reported to have had.

The campus was locked down and everybody was ordered to shelter in place while police officers investigated the report. After determining the report was false, the college resumed its normal operations at 10:45 a.m., officials said.

Students and their friends subsequently spread news of the BCC lockdown on social media. One student said she received an email from the BCC administration reporting an "armed intruder" on campus. The college also sent out alerts on Twitter.

Tuesday's incident happened less than a week after two men allegedly sexually assaulted two students they met at the BCC Fall River campus. Fall River and BCC Campus Police investigated those incidents and arrested two Fall River men over the weekend. They were both held on bail after being arraigned Monday in Fall River District Court.